1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to illuminated fishing bobbers, and more particularly pertains to an illuminated fishing bobber which provides an indication of a fishing strike by energizing an electric light. While various types of fish strike indicating devices are known in the prior art, these devices do not allow compensation of a drag tension on a line connected to an external hook. Hence these devices are susceptible to erroneous activation in rough water. In order to overcome this problem, the present invention provides an illuminated fishing bobber which includes a battery connectable to an electric light by a position sensitive switch and having an internal spool of line with an adjustable drag and a spring retraction mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of illuminated fishing bobbers are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a bobber is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,251, which issued to A. Snider et al., on Apr. 18, 1972. This patent discloses an electric fish catch indicator adapted to be connected to a fisherman's line comprising a tubular housing containing a battery, a lamp and a removable switch assembly. The switch assembly includes an arc-shaped flexible electrode, fixed switch contact surfaces, and a contact electrode movable against spring bias into contact with the fixed surfaces by a pole on a stem secured to the movable electrode to close the electrical circuit. A fishing rod with a hook thereon is secured to the end of the stem extending outwardly of the housing and a pole on the line by a fish strike will actuate the switch to close the circuit and light the lamp. U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,513, which issued to G. Durham Jr. on June 1973, discloses a fishing float associated with a fishing line comprising a hollow body in which a battery, a bulb, and a shaft are disposed. The shaft is formed at its interior end as a spiral spring which encloses a marginal end of the battery and engages the bulb in a manner to space the end of the bulb from the battery. The other end of the shaft extends to a seal member to the exterior of the float and has an eyelet for connection with a fishing line. A pull on the line moves the shaft to force the bulb into contact with the battery to light the bulb and simulate a fish strike. U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,404, which issued to R. Preeschl on Aug. 29, 1978, discloses a fishing bobber having an inflated resilient spherical housing with a diametrically extending passageway for threading through a fishing line. An electrically energized signal device within the housing is activated upon compressional distortion of the housing by an incremental pulling stress exerted upon the line by a fish strike. U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,627, which issued to R. Tschelisnik on June 12, 1979, discloses an electrically conducted floating body having a slightly higher specific weight than that of water which is carried within the immersed lower end of a tubular hollow float coupled to one end of a fishing line such that the fish in submerging the hollow float causes the electrically conducted floating body to close contacts between a battery and an illuminating diode carried by the hollow float above the surface of the water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,969, which issued to P. Swenson on Dec. 11, 1984, discloses a bobber including an electrical circuit having a position sensitive switch that is activated when the bobber is rotated about its center of gravity into the striking of a fish. The battery in the bobber serves as a ballast to normally hold the bobber in upright position.
While the above mentioned devices are directed to illuminated fishing bobbers, none of these devices discloses an illuminated bobber having a rotational line spool with an adjustable drag for compensation to various fishing conditions. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of illuminated fishing bobbers, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such illuminated fishing bobbers, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.